


Graduate of Lies

by Thrasirshall



Series: The ShinRa One Shots. [7]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Bullying, College, Drunkenness, Father-Son, Gen, Graduation, vent-writing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2016-03-05
Packaged: 2018-05-24 18:47:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6163086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thrasirshall/pseuds/Thrasirshall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rufus has learned to lie for as long as he could remember. </p><p>Written to vent some anger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Graduate of Lies

_“… Bet his dad paid the teachers - ”_

_“What’s with the white suit?”_  
  
The voices eventually drowned out into white noise, Rufus only hearing polite applause as he was handed his degree by the University President, and a photo taken to simply boost her popularity.  
After all, a **ShinRa** had chosen their prestigious _Junon University_ to graduate from!  
Rufus’ smile was fixed, while the robed woman beamed at the cameras.

* * *

Beyond the lights and clapping hands, Rufus saw his father also applauding, before they rose further. Veld was at the very end of the grand ballroom, and he simply gave a smile, and a small nod. 

It was the only genuine approval Rufus felt.   
  
Once the graduates had followed the University President and the tutors into the dining hall, Rufus stood alone as his classmates huddled to congratulate each other. They didn’t really make a lot of effort to hide their gossip. 

 _“Probably got all his bodyguards to do his homework...”_  
  
It was a situation Rufus was so used to by now that the only thing bothering him was the dreadfully impractical hat he had to wear. He wanted nothing more then to rip it off and throw it at someone, rip up his stupid degree, and throw the pieces in his father’s face.  
At least the robe was warm.   
  
He didn’t bother with wine or coffee (smelled cheap anyway) and simply waited like the rest of them for their ‘proud’ families to join them.   
Veld - above all rules in place, brushed past without so much as a glance by security, and found Rufus in seconds, standing by the fire exit.   
  
Veld leaned against the wall next to Rufus, hands in his pockets.  
There was time before President ShinRa arrived. 

“Well done. But... Bet you want to go home, huh?”  
  
Rufus glanced up at him, degree hanging from his hand, and smiled slightly. Veld... at least understood.  
  
There was a moment of silence between them, until Rufus noticed that his classmates had stopped speaking, and were glancing between him and Veld, some with slightly wide, scared eyes.  
  
Veld gave them a slow, pleasant smile, stretching the scar on his face.    
  
“You did all this on your own.” Veld said, loud enough for them to hear, and then stood up straight as he spotted President ShinRa walking down the hallway. He was laughing loudly, and surrounded by university directors. 

“Don’t forget that.”    
  
Veld’s words were a temporary comfort, but Rufus knew that the Old Man _would_ forget tonight after a few drinks.....  
Why weren’t you with your friends, why weren’t you in this club, why didn’t you get _this_ reward, why why _why_ \-    
  
“Rufus!” Hohenheim beamed, “Let’s get photos out of the way - we’ve a dinner in forty minutes, and I want to show off my brilliant son!”   
  
Such .... _uncharacteristic_ compliments made Rufus’ skin crawl, even when deep down, he knew they were genuine in the moment.   
  
Like with the University President, Rufus’ smile was fixed, while his father beamed, moustache in a curl, and a thick hand on his shoulder.  
The photographer couldn’t get enough, and Rufus felt tempted to ask him to clean his shoes if he was  _that_ keen on pleasing them.  
  
And dinner was.... as always, a painful game of keeping the peace the more Hohenheim drank.  
Compliments turned into complaints, and any debate about _any_ topic was overturned by President ShinRa being Right All The Time.   
Eventually, Rufus’ degree might not as well have existed, as apparently he was an idiot who’d amount to nothing. Knew nothing, did nothing, lived like a pig living off his father’s riches.   
  
Tseng’s footstep’s were silent as they walked up the carpeted stairs, and he knocked once on Rufus’ door, before entering a moment later, giving a quick glance across the room.   
  
The degree was torn up in the wastebasket, the black and gold letters on expensive paper in fragments. Rufus hadn’t moved once from the windowsill.  
Tseng closed the door, and sat opposite his charge. The blond’s eyes were red-rimmed, but that _merely_ could’ve just been from a few glasses of wine.  
It was what they would pretend.   
  
Tseng then slid a tube out from his jacket and set it down.  
“I had another printed, just in case.”  
  
Like every celebration for Rufus, it almost always ended the same like clockwork. Each incident such as this was quietly rectified, and swept under the carpet. Every celebration went _perfectly_ the morning after. 

Rufus could only smile slightly, “.... thanks.” 


End file.
